25. Never Too Late. Continues the two main
themes of Enter Sir Robert, the stories of Edith Graham and of the
Halliday family. Highlights: Edith's stay with Mrs. Morland, who takes
her to see the George Knoxes and Lord Crosse to watch the Old Boys
cricket match at Southbridge School, and to visit Lord Stoke, who
gives Edith a pearl necklace because she reminds him of another Edith,
who returned the pearls to him because she was going to marry Lord
Pomfret; the friendly competition for Edith's attention between George
Halliday, John­Arthur Crosse, and Ludovic Mellings, which all too
often becomes so friendly that they end up going off together and
ignoring her; a dinner party at the Old Manor House with the Carters
(Lord Crosse's daughter and her husband, who is a distant relation of
Everard Carter of Southbridge School); the gentle courtship of Miss
Merriman by Mr. Choyce; the gentle refusal by Mrs. Morland of a
proposal from Lord Crosse; and the most poignant description of the
deterioration and death of Mr. Halliday.

Book title and abbreviation

High Rising

HR1

Wild Strawberries

WS

The Demon in the House

DH

Mrs. Morland and Son

MMS

August Folly

AF

Summer Half

SH

Pomfret Towers

PT

The Brandons

B

Before Lunch

BL

Cheerfulness Breaks In

CBI

Northbridge Rectory

NR

Marling Hall

MH

Growing Up

GU

The Headmistress

HM

Miss Bunting

MB

Peace Breaks Out

PBO

Private Enterprise

PE

Love Among the Ruins

LAR

The Old Bank House

OBH

County Chronicle

CC

The Duke's Daughter

DD

Happy Return

HR2

Jutland Cottage

JC

What Did It Mean?

WDIM

Enter Sir Robert

ESR

Never Too Late

NTL

A Double Affair

DA

Close Quarters

CQ

Love at All Ages

LAA

Three Score and Ten

3S&T

Character, description and book abbreviations

Adams, Samuel

b. 1902. At first appearance he was a widower with daughter Heather. At first he was definitely "one of the people" and proud of it, and of his rise from poverty to wealth and power as owner of iron works and rolling mills at Hogglestock. He was loud, flamboyant, socially inept and convinced that money can do anything. He improved greatly by association with county families, especially Mrs. Belton. Married Lucy Marling (almost as overwhelming a personality as himself), bought the Old Bank House at Edgewood, had daughters Amabel Rose and Leslie, and son William. Became solidly conservative and used his money to foil unnecessary "progress" and liberal inroads. Leased part of Pomfret Towers to use as a central office. Defeated Sir Robert Fielding as Labour candidate for Parliament, but became a Conservative and joined Church of England.

Heroine of novel written by Mrs. Morland under the pseudonym Esme Porlock.

NTL

Banton, Mrs.

Elderly former patient of Sisters Heath and Ward whose mind was affected.

NTL

Bent, Miss

Friend of the rather terrifyingly masculine Miss Hampton. Resided with her at Adelina Cottage, Wiple Terrace, Southbridge. Much more feminine and fussy than her companion, a bit folksy-artsy, scraggly in appearance and somewhat domestic.

CBI, GU, MB, PBO, PE, OBH, CC, JC, WDIM, NTL, CQ, 3S&T

Birkett, Geraldine

Younger daughter of William and Amy Birkett. Attended Barchester High School. As high school student, fond of the more gruesome aspects of nursing and medicine. Worked in Barchester Infirmary during war. Infatuated with Fritz Gissing until she finally saw him in his true colors. Married Geoffrey Fairweather. Son John.

HR1, SH, B, CBI, GU, MB, PBO, PE, OBH, CC, DD, JC, NTL, CQ

Birkett, Rose

Older daughter of William and Amy Birkett. Beautiful but mentally negligible. Engaged six or more times, including to Philip Winter in SH until she threw her ring at him at the Keiths'. Always had an oft- repeated catchword (perfectly foul, meager, dispiriting, shattering, etc.) In CBI married John Fairweather of the Royal Navy, who could control his "elegant nitwit" well. Stationed abroad most of the war in Washington, S. America, Portugal, etc. Returned to England after war and became much more sensible, often helping others with their problems. Children Henry, Amy, two others all born 1940-1946.

Never mentioned by name. Parsimonious, low-church, unpopular. One son, said to be "in mission field" but really worked in office at Westminster. Preached love for Germans, Communists, etc., and was a Liberal. Nicknamed "Old Gasbag." Worthy successor to Trollope's Bishop Proudie. Never made on "on-stage" appearance.

Employee of Messrs. Gaiters Bookshop. Spoke disparagingly about the quality of books read by the Bishop and Bishopess.

NTL

Blundello

Jeweler's firm; Mr. Hooker went to Lady Graham once a year to check her jewelry

NTL

Bond, Lucasta

Wife of Lord Alured Bond of Staple Park. "Benevolent Tyrant." Half-sister of Lord Stoke. An organizer and go-getter for causes she believed in. In ESR lived in Bath, then in 3S&T moved to Cheltenham to live with Old Lady Norton.

AF, BL, MH, GU, MB, LAR, DD, HR2, WDIM, ESR, NTL

Brown, Haig

Northbridge police constable, nephew of Mr. Brown of the Red Lion in Southbridge. Two sons, one of whom was Ernie.

JC, NTL, CQ, 3S&T

Brown, Joe

Landlord of the Red Lion at Southbridge, also owned a taxi. Once attended Old Sewerworks Road School in London.

CBI, GU, PBO, PE, JC, NTL, 3S&T

Bubb

Maker of the best safes according to Lord Stoke.

NTL

Bunce, Effie

Came by the day to do for Miss Pemberton in Northbridge. Worked at Master's Dairy near Hallbury in MB. Had several illegitimate children by unknown fathers.

SH, NR, MB, OBH, WDIM, NTL, DA, LAA, 3S&T

Bunce, Hovis

The fourth (and youngest) of Effie Bunce's illegitimate brood, popularly supposed to be the result of a bus excursion to the coast of one day's duration.

NTL

Bunce, Ruby

Like her sister Effie, she was slovenly but hard-working, amoral, haphazard, and near illiterate. Had several illegitimate offspring by unknown fathers.

SH, NR, WDIM, NTL, DA, LAA, 3S&T

Carter, Everard

b. 1909?. Southbridge School History master and Housemaster who succeeded Mr. Birkett as Headmaster. Became engaged to Kate Keith in SH. Cambridge man. Retired by time of 3S&T. Lived at Northbridge Rectory after retirement

Known as "Squiffy" to her nursing friends, Sisters Heath and Ward. First seen in PT caring for those ill of influenza. Drove Julian Rivers to distraction by being motherly. Later was nurse to Mrs. Keith and Lady Emily Leslie. Was at Cottage Hospital in MB. Shared apartment with Sisters Heath and Ward, and they planned to open a nursing home for wealthy patients needing unnecessary care.

Old friend of Mr. Leonard Halliday, who presented him with the living at Hatch End in 1933. Had been working in a Liverpool parish. Engaged to Miss Merriman in NTL, married her in DA.

PBO, ESR, NTL, DA, LAA, 3S&T

Clover, Aubrey

Actor-writer-producer for London stage. Wounded at Dunkirk -"shrapnel in tummy." Name was really Caleb Lover, but his writing of "C. Lover" was so often mistaken for Clover that he changed it. Playwright ofOut Goes She, Three for a Letter, etc. Married Jessica Dean, had daughter Sarah Siddons. Rather protean type who could be almost any character without seeming to have much personality of his own.

PE, LAR, OBH, CC, DD, HR2, WDIM, ESR, NTL, CQ, LAA, 3S&T

Crawley, Mrs.

Wife of Josiah Crawley, Dean of Barchester. Gave lavish teas to county families, subtly underscoring the miserliness of the Bishop and Bishopess at the Palace. Two sons, six daughters, including Secunda, Tertia, Octavia.

Tall, middle-aged man with blue eyes, shaggy eyebrows, mustache and beard. Served many years in the Indian Army, then retired. A widower with two sons in Indian army. Took orders and became Vicar of Southbridge. Married Miss Effie Arbuthnot.

PE, OBH, CC, JC, ESR, NTL, DA, CQ, 3S&T

Crosse, John-Arthur

b. 1923. Son of Lord Crosse of Crosse Hall. In Barsetshire Yeomanry during war. Bank manager after war. Fond of Edith Graham in ESR, but married Grace Crawley.

ESR, NTL, DA, CQ, 3S&T

Crosse, Lord John Morton

Father of John-Arthur and two daughters. [Name originally was spelled "Cross" but "e" was added by Mrs. Thirkell because there was a real Lord Cross.] 3rd Baron, lived at Crosse Hall (which was mentioned in Trollope though the family wasn't). Lady Emily Leslie remembered him as a small boy in kilts and curls who fell in love with her when she was a young married woman.

ESR, NTL, DA, CQ, 3S&T

Dean, Jessica

b. 1925? 1932? Youngest daughter of Frank and Rachel Dean, Child of 3 or 4 at first appearance in AF, but was an actress in PE; confused chronology unless she was a stage veteran at 16. Collected salvage and learned jujitsu during war. Married producer-writer Aubrey Clover, who wrote sophisticated small cast plays for her with his music and lyrics. Had daughter Sarah Siddons. Clever, voluble, sympathetic with shy people like Ludo Lufton. Interfered in people's lives for their own good.

Barmaid at Red Lion in Southbridge. A dazzling blonde. Niece (or possibly sister) of Mrs. Dingle. Married Col. Crofts' factotum and former batman, Bateman. Her sister Florrie married Simnet.

CBI, GU, PE, CC, JC, NTL, CQ

Empson, George

Southbridge School Matron Poppy Dudley's nephew. Normally a wireless operator and electrician on luxury liners to New York, he wired Editha Cottage for the Arbuthnots, with a running commentary on old wiring and proper method for rewiring that almost drove them crazy. His ship was RMS Vomitorium. Torpedoed twice during war.

HR1, SH, CBI, GU, PE, CC, HR2, JC, NTL, CQ, 3S&T

Fairweather, John

Younger brother of Geoffrey. Attended Southbridge School where he was opponent of Smith-Hetherington in HR1. Became a Lt. in Royal Navy. Married Rose Birkett, had common sense she lacked and was able to control her idiocies and tolerate her pouting. Later was Naval Attache at Las Palombas, was stationed in Washington during war. Captain by time of CC. two sons, two daughters.

b. 1892. Mother of Mr. Feeder. Came to live near him in Editha Cottage. Tall, gaunt widow. Had learned to drink to please her husband, who had gastric trouble and couldn't drink but enjoyed watching her.

PE, OBH, CC, JC, NTL, CQ, 3S&T

Follanbee

Costarred with Glamora Tudor in "Love in a Bath."

NTL

Ford, Dr. James.

Kindly, garrulous and gossipy old G.P. at High Rising. Proposed to Anne Todd and was refused in HR1. Proposed to Sylvia Gould in DH, married her 20 years later after she had a broken engagement in GU. Could be very brusque to those he disliked.

8th Earl of Pomfret. Cousin to 7th Earl, and his heir since there were no nearer relations. Became Lord Pomfret in CBI. Married Sally Wicklow. Originally employed by a firm of picture dealers. Mother dead, father died in PT. Though not physically strong, worked to excess for his county, watched over with constant concern by his Sally. Became Lord Lieutenant of Barsetshire. Children Ludovic Lord Mellings, Emily and Giles.

PE, LAR, OBH, CC, DD, HR2, JC, WDIM, ESR, NTL, DA, CQ, LAA, 3S&T

Foster, Giles, Lord, 7th Earl

d. 1940. Old Lord Pomfret. Resided at Pomfret Towers. Fabled for rudeness, boring dinners, and efforts to prevent modernization of the surrounding countryside. Brother of Lady Emily Leslie and Lady Agnes Foster. Married Edith Thorne. Author of A Landowner in Five Reins. Bought Pooker's Piece to keep Sir Ogilvy Hibberd from building on it. Died in May, 1940, in CBO, with the names of his dead wife and son on his lips.

Sister of Old Lord Pomfret and Lady Emily Leslie. Died young. Was engaged to an officer in the Detrimentals who was killed on the NW frontier in the same skirmish as Lord Mellings. Did watercolor "Sweet Mistress Purr" of a tortoise-shell cat in a lace bonnet. Ludovic, Lord Mellings, said she was dotty, and, after her father broke off her engagement to a Palliser, she took up curates and church embroidery.

NTL

Foster, Ludovic Neville Eustace Guido (Lord Mellings)

b. 1938. Son of Giles and Sally Foster. Shy and frail like his father, with same painful conscientiousness, sense of honor and duty. Oxford, Sandhurst and Guards Regt. Brought out of much of his shyness by friendship with Jessica Dean. Married Lavinia Merton in final Thirkell book.

BL, MH, HM, MB, PE, LAR, CC, DD, JC, WDIM, ESR, NTL, DA, CQ, LAA

Gould, The Rev. Mr.

Vicar of High Rising. Daughters Rose, Dora, Sylvia, and Ruth. Strict, impatient, old-fashioned and High Church.

DH, NTL, LAA, 3S&T, MMS

Graham, Clarissa

b. 1931. Second daughter of Sir Robert and Lady Agnes (Leslie) Graham. Neat, precise, and delicate-appearing. Marked resemblance to grandmother, Lady Emily Leslie. Dark cloudy hair, dark eyes, fair skin. Educated at Cambridge, then confused about what to do with herself. Greatly affected by Lady Emily's death, she behaved badly, with precocious condescension, to her fiancé Charles Belton and others. Married Charles on New Year's Day, 1952. one son, one daughter.

b. 1937. Spoiled youngest daughter of Sir Robert and Lady Agnes (Leslie) Graham. As a child she recited poems which she invented. Admired by John-Arthur Crosse and George Halliday, but they both later married other girls. Married William Harcourt. One child, Gwendolyn Sally.

b. 1927. Eldest daughter of Sir Robert and Lady Agnes (Leslie) Graham. Strong, boyish, and boisterous. Five years old in WS. Fair hair, blue eyes. Cow-minded, in PBO she was breeding bulls with cousin Martin Leslie at Rushwater. Married Tom Grantly. Children James and Agnes.

Wife of Sir Robert Graham, daughter of Henry and Lady Emily Leslie. Children James, John, Robert, Emily, Clarissa and Edith. Lived at Holdings in Little Misfit. Air-headed, obsessed with her children, called by her brother David a "divine idiot." As she aged she became more like her well-intentioned, interfering mother, but with more practical results.

Husband of Lady Agnes (Leslie). Made first "On stage" appearance on last page of ESR. Became General in WWII, apparently high in command and diplomatic structure. Constantly absent on some mission or other. Retired in 1954. Fifteen years older than Agnes, who said he always knew what was best to be done.

Uncle of Francis Gresham. Ran for Parliament from East Barsetshire against young Hibbard. Middle-aged bachelor who liked to play role of Old Country Squire.

PBO, LAR, OBH, HR2, JC, ESR, NTL, DA

Hacker, Percy

b. 1921. First encountered in SH as a very silent Southbridge student, friend of Tony Morland. Had pet chameleon named Gibbon, which he once offered to Philip Winter for coaching him before a scholarship exam. Once left the hot tap running and nearly flooded the lower dorm. In Ministry of Information during war. Became fellow and senior classics tutor at Lazarus College, later Latin Chair at Redbrick Univ. Author of well-known Latin text.

SH, CBI, GU, MB, PBO, DD, HR2, JC, WDIM, ESR, NTL, 3S&T

Halliday, Ellie

Resident of Hatch House at Hatch End. Husband Leonard, children George and Sylvia. Well-read and articulate. Brother killed in WWI. After husband's death, lived much abroad in France.

PBO, LAR, ESR, NTL, DA, 3S&T

Halliday, George

b. 1921. Son of Leonard and Ellie Halliday. Capt. in Barsetshire Yeomanry during war, much of the time in Italy. Once climbed all the way around the quad while a fresher at St. Jude's. Fond of Edith Graham for a while, married Jane Crawley in DA. Son Martin.

PBO, ESR, NTL,DA, 3S&T

Halliday, Sylvia

Daughter of Leonard and Ellie Halliday. In WAAF during war. Golden-haired, beautiful Viking, but not intellectual. Married Martin Leslie, had children Eleanor, George, 2 others.

PBO, LAR, OBH,CC, JC, ESR,NTL, DA, 3S&T

Hampton, Miss

Hard-drinking, masculine spinster. Resided at Adelina Cottage in Southbridge with friend Miss Bent. Author of earthy novels, usually selected by the Banned-Book-of-the-Month Club. Drove ambulance in Northern France in WW I. Helped support four nephews - two in Army, one Navy, one in Consular Service.

CBI, NR, GU, MB, PBO, OBH, CC, HR2, JC, WDIM, NTL, CQ, 3S&T

Harvey, Frances,

Tall, fair, and not quite young sister of Geoffrey Harvey. Determined, pushy and domineering. Worked at Regional Commissioner's Office. In censorship during War. After War was secretary to Lord Aberfordbury (formerly Sir Ogilvy Hibberd). Almost got Oliver Marling to propose by chasing him flagrantly, but he escaped. Also served in Dept. of Efficiency and Purging at Gatherum Castle. Mr. Marling said she looked like "an educated rocking horse."

MH, HM, PBO, LAR, CC, DD, HR2, WDIM, NTL, 3S&T

Harvey, Geoffrey

Worked at Regional Commissioner's Office with John Leslie. Obnoxious communist who thought Russia was wonderful. Tall, thin, long hair. Greatly admired by Oliver Marling when he was young and impressionable. Related to the Nortons. Brother of Frances. Artistic and effeminate. Wrote novel about Pico della Mirandela. Rented Red House in Marling. Later returned to Red Tape and Sealing Wax in London, and then became head of PEUGI in Paris. Mistakenly called Oliver in LAA.

MH, HM, PBO, LAR, CC, DD, HR2, WDIM, NTL, LAA, 3S&T

Heath, Sister

"Heathy" who shared apartment with Sister Ward and Sister Chiffinch. Nurse. Acted as paying guest to care for Miss Pemberton in her last days.

DH, MB, PBO, CC, DD, HR2, WDIM, ESR, NTL, DA, CQ, 3S&T

Hibberd, Sir Ogilvy

Unpleasant man who wanted to buy Laverings Farm. A Liberal, with heretical opinions on the Root Vegetable bill. Finally bought The Cedars, Muswell Hill. Bought "Pooker's Piece" in Before Lunch and wanted to put up a garage and tea shop there, a move strongly opposed by local gentry. A Lloyd George peer, something to do with shipping - from Goole. Finally sold "Pooker's Piece" to Lord Pomfret. Created Lord Aberfordbury by end of WW II. Like the Bishop, an offstage villain. Also thwarted when he tried to buy Wiple Terrace and build a factory

BL, HM, MB, PBO, LAR, OBH, HR2, JC, WDIM, ESR, NTL, DA, CQ, LAA, 3S&T

King, The Hon. Henry

Patient of Sisters Heath and Ward. He cared for his wife himself rather than put her in a mental home, then had to be institutionalized himself.

NTL

Knox, George

Pompous, verbose historical novelist who could turn a single sentence into a discourse of parenthetical expressions. Widower, lived in High Rising with his daughter Sibyl. Escaped the clutches of his secretary, Una Grey, and became engaged to Anne Todd in HR1.

b. 1939. Youngest son of John and Mary (Preston) Leslie. Always at bottom of any trouble at Southbridge Prep School. Got stuck on top of Rushwater "temple" at reunion. Wanted to enter Air Force.

LAR, CC, DD, JC, WDIM, ESR, NTL, DA, CQ, 3S&T

Leslie, David

b. 1907. Youngest son of Henry and Lady Emily Leslie. Spoiled and self-centered, a bit of a lady-killer despite thinning hair. Described as "bone selfish," he was easily bored. Mary Preston was infatuated with him in WS, but married his brother John. Finally married Rose Bingham in PBO .

WS, BL, MH, GU, MB, PBO, LAR, OBH, CC, DD, HR2, JC, ESR, NTL, DA, LAA

Leslie, Henry (Major)

b. 1936. Eldest son of John and Mary (Preston) Leslie. Nice but dull. Attended Southbridge School, collected Empire stamps, and ostentatiously carried a Greek New Testament to church. Showed promise of becoming more interesting when he corrected (subtly) the Latin pronunciation of Miss Banks, the Latin mistress.

BL, PBO, PE, LAR, CC, DD, JC, WDIM, ESR, NTL, DA, CQ, 3S&T

Leslie, John

b. 1899. Oldest surviving son of Henry and Lady Emily Leslie. Widower, deceased wife's name was Gay. Became engaged to Mary Preston in WS. Regional Commissioner during war. Bought Old Rectory at Greshamsbury as home.

WS, BL, MH, BO, PE, LAR, BH, CC, DD, JC, WDIM, ESR, NTL, DA, CQ

Leslie, John Jr. (Minor)

b. 1938. Second son of John and Mary (Preston) Leslie. At Southbridge he climbed all the way around School Chapel. Also climbed to the top of Rushwater House and into Siddons' room, to the top of the "temple" at Rushwater; tried to climb the Mertons' monkey puzzle tree. Put the bell back up in the Palace fish pond so the fish could ring for food (the Bishop had ordered it taken down).

BL, PBO, PE, LAR, OBH, CC, DD, JC, WDIM, ESR, NTL, DA, CQ, 3S&T

Leslie, Lady Emily (Foster)

1868-1948. Sister of Old Lord Pomfret, wife of Henry Leslie of Rushwater . Children Martin (killed in WWI), John, Agnes and David. Delightfully unpredictable, interested in painting and arranging other people's affairs with benevolent intent. Supposedly based on AT's acquaintance Mary, Lady Wemyss, whose family was not amused by the affectionate portrayal. Beginning to age at first appearance in WS, became progressively more absent-minded and ethereal as series progressed, Died in OBH, calling her deceased husband and son to wait, she's coming with them.

Biggest of Hosiers' Boys' School boys. Intelligent, had won open scholarship to Cambridge. Father was a grocer and furniture remover in East End in London. Was given a free place at Southbridge and won a scholarship in history to Lazarus College. Became Physics prof. at Upping College of Redbrick University.

CBI, PE, NTL

Mells, Miss

Matron in charge when Lydia Keith was a VAD. Called "Miss Smells" or "Smelly" by her acquaintances Sisters Heath and Ward.

NTL

Merriman, Dorothea Frances

"Merry," Old Lady Pomfret's secretary in PT at first introduction. Very efficient, self-effacing and conscientious. Had an invalid married sister whom she sometimes visited. Was secretly and quietly in love with Gillie Foster. When he married Sally Wicklow and became Lord Pomfret, she went as companion to Lady Emily Leslie. Returned to, Pomfret Towers after Lady Emily's death to help with county business and ease the load on the frail but hard-working earl. Married Rev. Herbert Choyce in DA. One of AT's most memorable and sympathetic characters.

PT, MH, HM, PBO, LAR, OBH, CC, JC, WDIM, ESR, NTL,DA, LAA,3S&T

Morland, Laura

b. 1891. Widow of Henry Morland, sons Dick, John, Gerald, and Tony. Lived at High Rising. Author of Madame Koska mystery thrillers, which she began writing to support herself and sons. Also wrote two books anonymously. Attractive but rather scatter-brained, tended to lose glasses and hairpins. Acted as unofficial secretary at Southbridge School during war. It is generally thought that she is at least partially based on the author herself, though AT was, by repute, a more sardonic personality than Laura Morland.

b. 1921. Son of Henry and Laura Morland. Student at Southbridge School at first appearance, major interest was model trains. Became Sr. Monitor at Southbridge. Talkative, self-centered, well- intentioned with frequently disastrous results, one-track mind when a child. Attended Oxford. In Army in, Burma during war. Worked for Red Tape and Sealing Wax Office after war. Married with four children.

Known by most of Barsetshire as the "Dreadful Dowager." Face like a well-bred horse, domineering personality, thought herself the best gardener in the county. Author of Herbs of Grace about gardening. Clothes tended to imitate the Queen Mother. Lived in Cheltenham, Lady Bond moved in with her in 3S&T.

Son of Dowager Lady Norton. Wife Eleanor. Not very intelligent, gave boring dinners. Under thumbs of both wife and mother.

B, MH, OBH, CC, DD, HR2, WDIM, ESR, NTL, LAA

Palliser, Admiral

Resident of Hallbury House, Hallbury. An engineer. Widower with 2 sons, 2 daughters, (including Jane Gresham). Worked during war at engineering firm in Barchester.

MB, PBO, HR2, JC, WDIM, NTL, DA

Panter, Cissie

Daughter of Mr. Halliday's carter. Was to work for Mrs. Carter at the Old Manor House.

NTL

Panter, Fred

Mr. Halliday's carter at Hatch House. Lost an arm at Ypres but handled horses as well as anyone. Apparently Mr. Halliday's old batman. Sons Fred and Jimmy, daughter Cissie.

PBO, NTL, 3S&T

Panter, George

Proprietor of Mellings Arms. Cousin of the Hallidays' carter.

PBO, ESR, NTL, DA

Panter, Odeena

Daughter of Fred Panter, Mr. Halliday's carter. Worked as kitchenmaid at Holdings. Named for Barchester Odeon Theatre.

ESR, NTL, DA

Peters

b. 1898. Butler at Pomfret Towers. His sister was Nannie Peters, the Pomfrets' nurse; another sister married one of the Margetts and was Jasper's mother. Worked briefly for Lord Norton in his London flat. Later married and worked for Lord Crosse.

PT, OBH, WDIM, ESR, NTL, DA, 3S&T

Pomfret, Giles, Lord, 7th Earl

d. 1940. Old Lord Pomfret. Resided at Pomfret Towers. Fabled for rudeness, boring dinners, and efforts to prevent modernization of the surrounding countryside. Brother of Lady Emily Leslie and Lady Agnes Foster. Married Edith Thorne. Author of A Landowner in Five Reins. Bought Pooker's Piece to keep Sir Ogilvy Hibberd from building on it. Died in May, 1940, in CBO, with the names of his dead wife and son on his lips.

Pseudonym used by Mrs. Morland when she wrote fictitious memoirs of a woman named Molly Bangs who "lived at hack and manger with half the aristocracy."

NTL

Porter, Mr. L.N.B, CBE

Retired Civil Service man, acquaintance of Mr. Halliday of Hatch End. Died as a result of fractured leg suffered while trying to cross the white crossing lines on a rainy day. Mr. Halliday is delighted at having outlived him.

NTL

Preston, Mary

b. 1911. Daughter of the late Col. Preston and Mrs. Preston (Sir Robert Graham's oldest sister and a great hypochondriac.) Became engaged to John Leslie in WS after thinking she was in love with his brother David. 3 sons, John, Henry and Clive. Lived in Old Rectory in Greshamsbury. Said mistakenly to have daughters in MH.

WS, BL, MH, PBO, LAR, OBH, CC, JC, WDIM, ESR, NTL, DA, CQ

Pridham, Sir Edmund

b. 1866. Elderly country squire type, J.P. at Pomfret Madrigal, close friend of Lavinia Brandon -- even proposed to her once in a friendly way. Childless widower, commanded Barsetshire Yeomanry in WWI, had crippled leg from war wound. Knew everybody in the county and all their relationships. "Doyen of the county in years and service ... Had an eye that had frightened the toughest troopers in the Barsetshire Yeomanry out of their wits and made the Bishop, who was saying the Russians were our brothers, wilt uneasily into a mumbling explanation."

One of the few thoroughly despicable Thirkell characters. Long-haired, unwashed, considered himself an artist but is best at being a conceited prig. A member of the "Set of Five," a group of artists as inept as himself. Made a pest of himself to naive Alice Barton in PT, until Roddy Wicklow rescued her. Unwillingly in Army briefly during war, but rescued as a "valuable artist."

PT, MH, HM, PBO, PE, HR2, ESR, NTL, CQ, 3S&T

Scatcherd, Hettie

Niece and housekeeper to Scatcherd the artist in Hatch End. Bad-tempered, considered to have a powerful gift of vituperative speech in Chapel. Cut her own hair with kitchen scissors, refused to go to dentist because of some confusion about graven images. Middle-aged, non-stop talker, spoke in long single-sentence paragraphs without pauses for breath.

PBO, ESR, NTL

Smells, Nurse

Matron at hospital where Lydia Merton was VAD.

NTL

Snow, Jim

Southbridge School carpenter. Good workman but garrulous.

PE, JC, NTL., CQ,3S&T

Solway, Babs

A patient of Sisters Heath and Ward. Died a week after her husband, General Solway, worn out from caring for him.

NTL

Stoke, Lord Thomas

b. 1866. Ancient and eccentric antiquarian, half-brother of Lucasta Bond. A bachelor who once loved Edith Thorne (who married Old Lord Pomfret). Traveled by horse and carriage or on horseback in defiance of modern age. Was convinced that everything he dug up was Viking remains. Extremely and conveniently deaf. In NTL, he is called Algernon Courcy Stoke and is said to have been born in 1876.

Father of Mrs. Morland's housekeeper. Took to drink, died on the day after an Easter Monday. Real name MacHenry, called Stoker because he shoveled coal at the gasworks.

NTL

Stoker, Mrs.

Housekeeper to Laura Morland at High Rising. Garrulous, irreverent, dictatorial, and easily offended but with a soft spot for Tony Morland.

HR1, DH, CBI, HR2, ESR, NTL, DA, LAA, 3S&T, MMS

Strelsa, Guido

Brother of the present Count Strelsa. "A blackguard who had been turned out of every gambling hell in Europe." Pictured in LAA as shaky, toothless and bald, being cared for by a nurse.

PT, OBH, NTL, DA, LAA

Swan, Eric

b. 1921. First seen as Southbridge School student who irritated Philip Winter by "looking at him through his spectacles." Friend and classmate of Tony Morland and Percy Hacker. Went to Cambridge. Married Justinia Lufton after once being in love with Grace Grantly. Was in Africa during war. Became master at Beliers Priory School, later replaced Everard Carter as head of Southbridge School.

Laura Morland's secretary, married George Knox, novelist and windbag, of High Rising, after turning down proposal from Dr. Ford. WVS secretary in war. Competent and practical, unlike her garrulous husband.

Nurse "Wardy," who shared an apartment with Sisters Heath and Chiffinch.

DH, MB, CC, DD, HR2, JC, WDIM, ESR, NTL, CQ, 3S&T

Wicklow, Roddy

Son of Mr. Wicklow of Barton and Wicklow, Architects. Assistant estate agent to Mr. Hoare at Pomfret Towers, later took over the estate himself. Big, good-natured, he married Alice Barton and became invaluable assistant to his brother-in-law Giles, Lord Pomfret. Wounded in leg, which kept him out of most of war, but returned to fight in Belgium near war's end.

b.1914. Daughter of Mr. Wicklow the architect. Enthusiastic outdoorswoman who loved horses and dogs, "the best hands in the county." Married Giles Foster, who became Lord Pomfret, and took much of the burden of duties over from him because of his poor health. Children Ludovic, Emily, Giles. Conscientious and hard-working, she was on every important committee during and after the war.